May 03, 2014

Pakistan: More on the undiagnosed outbreak in Bajaur

At least 14 women have died during the past one week and several others suffering with infection after a mysterious disease broke out in Warah Mamond area of Bajaur Agency.

Local people told Dawn on Thursday that the disease had hit people in the mountainous areas of Dabar, Badan, Saro Sha and surrounding localities of Warrah Mamond, 16 km from Khar, the agency headquarters.

“As many as 14 women have died within a week while many others are infected after the disease spread in the area,” said Tahir Khan, a local tribesman, said.

When contacted, Agency Surgeon Dr Zakir Hussain also confirmed the prevalence of the disease and casualties of several women because of it in the area. He said that the health condition of all the women who died from the disease was normal before being infected. They were between 40 and 50 years of age, he said.

Talking to this correspondent on Thursday, he said that the mysterious disease broke out among women in different areas of Warrah Mamond a week ago.

“Several women have died within a week and many others are seriously affected by an unknown disease,” he said.

The agency surgeon, who visited the affected areas, said that a large number of women had been infected by the disease. “The disease is serious and fatal and we have not seen indications of such a disease in the agency before,” Dr. Hussain said.

He said that several health teams comprising senior doctors and paramedics had been sent to the affected areas to overcome the situation and identify the cause of the disease.

Answering a question, he said that the health department was making efforts to find out main cause of the disease, adding that all patients died in a short time after contracting the disease.

Several other Pakistani media are reporting this outbreak; some say 10 have died, others 14. Wikipedia tells me Bajaur Agency is part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, up in the north of the country and near the border with Afghanistan.

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At least 14 women have died during the past one week and several others suffering with infection after a mysterious disease broke out in Warah Mamond area of Bajaur Agency.

Local people told Dawn on Thursday that the disease had hit people in the mountainous areas of Dabar, Badan, Saro Sha and surrounding localities of Warrah Mamond, 16 km from Khar, the agency headquarters.

“As many as 14 women have died within a week while many others are infected after the disease spread in the area,” said Tahir Khan, a local tribesman, said.

When contacted, Agency Surgeon Dr Zakir Hussain also confirmed the prevalence of the disease and casualties of several women because of it in the area. He said that the health condition of all the women who died from the disease was normal before being infected. They were between 40 and 50 years of age, he said.

Talking to this correspondent on Thursday, he said that the mysterious disease broke out among women in different areas of Warrah Mamond a week ago.

“Several women have died within a week and many others are seriously affected by an unknown disease,” he said.

The agency surgeon, who visited the affected areas, said that a large number of women had been infected by the disease. “The disease is serious and fatal and we have not seen indications of such a disease in the agency before,” Dr. Hussain said.

He said that several health teams comprising senior doctors and paramedics had been sent to the affected areas to overcome the situation and identify the cause of the disease.

Answering a question, he said that the health department was making efforts to find out main cause of the disease, adding that all patients died in a short time after contracting the disease.

Several other Pakistani media are reporting this outbreak; some say 10 have died, others 14. Wikipedia tells me Bajaur Agency is part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, up in the north of the country and near the border with Afghanistan.